


The Stars Can't See

by Aaravosa (Lokiiwood)



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 17:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18743668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokiiwood/pseuds/Aaravosa
Summary: The human had no boundaries and no fear, always interrupting his studying, always demanding him to teach her magic.But he never could bring himself to lock the door.“You’re back, I see.”“You can’t see with your head turned away.”





	The Stars Can't See

“You’re back, I see.”

“You can’t see with your head turned away.”

Aaravos rolled his eyes, hiding away his grin in pages of the heavy book he held. “Point taken - ignored,” he called back. His private study - or, library as she called and used it - was hidden in the corner of the mostly-elven castle. It was far from where the other mages stayed, but it’s as he preferred, a quiet place next to the biggest windows that cast a pleasant nightly and star-filled glow over the bookshelves and old carpet.

The human stomped over to him and he fixed his face back to the usual bored expression. After a moment, he glanced up to finally regard her. Elarion, hands on her hips and her tightly coiled hair circling her like an angry lion’s mane. She was the beautiful picture of pride and power, never caring for her appearance and probably thinking it unkempt. And as she glared at him her unflattering scowl ruined his objective poise.

She was absurd and Aaravos laughed.

“You promised to take me to the stars today.”

Was it whining? He couldn’t tell. It couldn’t be anything but, yet it rolled off her tongue like an assumed command instead of the plea that it truly was.

“You actually believed that?” he chuckled, turning the page even though he hadn’t finished reading the last.

“Are you finally admitting that you’re a serial liar?”

“I asked a question and you made a bold assumption. I’m hurt.”

“You’re full of it,” she scoffed. “What is this?”

She snatched the book from his hands and he sat back further in his chair, resting his chin in his hand and awaiting whatever inevitable bold thing she had to say. Elarion was predictable in that she was unpredictable, every vision of her was hopelessly different in her choice of words but always reached the same conclusion. She would get what she wanted and she would expect so. The woman needed no divination for that, it was her nature. Really, he should stop wasting thoughts on her so he could see something useful when he was under the stars.

"The book is something you can't hope to read," he sighed. "Really, you are the rudest human I've ever met."

“What? Am I supposed to be scared of you?”

Elarion scoffed at him, the undisputed most powerful mage, like the only threat he posed was his reluctance to do her bidding. Furthermore, she didn’t even attempt to keep his page, skimming and flipping through like a child with a picture book.

“Theoretically, yes. I could kill you in my sleep if I was having a nightmare. It probably would involve you in it, of course.”

She didn’t answer his candid remark and instead began reading. “Dragon. Rune. Turn. Potion. Off. White.”

Elarion turned the book around to point at the words. “I’m still learning but I’m starting with the most important words first. See?”

Aaravos raised an eyebrow. “You’re...actually learning Dragonian?”

“If I’m to succeed you, I should know all magical languages,” she declared, proud - per usual.

Aaravos carefully took the book back, closing it and eyeing her quickly disappearing smile as she fell under his gaze.

“You go far, despite having not connected to a single primal source.”

“Which is why I asked for your assistance and why you _will_ bring me to the stars as you promised.”

Elarion edged closer, trying to out-stoneface him now with her ever-burning and hungry eyes. Aaravos finally relented. It made him uncomfortable.

It was hard to tell these days what her true motivations were and from where her passion burned.

He thought he knew, of course. Elarion was in love with him. A human - with an elf. An impossible notion had it not personally happened to him. But she was also serious about magic. Could she have taken to him and then turned to magic, or was it the other way around?

“Alright, I’ll take you somewhere. But don’t be disappointed,” he murmured.

She smiled and backed away far enough for him to stand. And like that, he towered over her. Humans were so small, so fragile. Even her hair didn’t give her the additional height she needed to not be assumed a child in passing elven steps.

“To the _stars._ ”

“Yes, yes, the stars,” he sighed, resisting the urge to pet her.

He didn’t want to give her any wrong impressions. Aaravos, for a fact, was not in love with her. The only thing that came close was his study. Which she continuously, _mercilessly_ intruded in. He ought to seal his doors one of these days if only to infuriate the magic-less human. He grinned at the thought of her banging on his door, yelling for him.

Though knowing her, she might find a way around it. Bribe a different elf. Shatter a window with a cursed and priceless artifact. Be so angry she connected to a source and broke through anyway.

“Why are you so smiley?” she hummed, peering up at him on the tips of her toes.

Aaravos beckoned her with a tilt of his head and thus began their walk through the castle. “I was thinking of something amusing.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Not going to tell me what it was?”

“No.”

“And why is _that_?”

“Because you want to know.”

She let out an unrefined noise and brushed past him, keeping her stride just a step ahead of his despite her shorter legs. Aaravos chuckled silently, letting her lead even though she didn’t even know where they were going.

Maybe she was only serious about magic as she said.

Elarion peeked over her shoulder to make sure he was still following. Once. Twice. They turned a corner and Aaravos stopped. Thrice. She rushed back over and grabbed onto his hand, tugging him forward.

She didn’t meet his gaze.

Hm.

Aaravos curled his hand over hers and felt warmth spiking through her palm. It made him smile as he looked at where they willingly melded - soft and snug despite how rough she tried to be.

Maybe it was cruel to tease her like this but Aaravos would leave those regrets for another day. For now, it just felt nice to be wanted in this strange way.

They passed large windows in the corridor, every few steps flashing light from the darkening sky. In those brief moments, he felt the beginnings of visions flicker under his eyelids. Elarion’s wrinkled hand touching his. Elarion speaking Dragonian. Elarion’s eyes glowing a harsh, bright purple from a spell he didn’t recognize. Elarion still at his side. Elarion, Elarion...He skewered his eyes shut, forcing out thoughts of her possible future he decided he never wanted to see.

“Not going to tell me why you stopped?” she said, voice atypically low and scornless.

“No.”

“Because I want to know, huh?”

He could’ve lied, could’ve been sarcastic, could’ve directed the conversation elsewhere.

“Because I don’t know the answer.”

 


End file.
